Pope Francis: God calls us to conversion at every stage of life

Image Vatican News

Source: Vatican News

During his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Francis reminded Christians that every moment is the right time to convert our hearts toward love of God and neighbour.

Reflecting on the day's Gospel (Mk 1:14-20), in which Jesus begins his public ministry after the arrest of John the Baptist, the Pope said: "Jesus' preaching, can be summed up in these words: 'This is the time of fulfilment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'"

The Pope said two key themes emerge from this message: "time and conversion". He noted that Mark's Gospel refers to time as "the duration of the history of salvation worked by God."

"The time 'fulfilled' is that in which this salvific action reaches its pinnacle, its full realization," he said. "It is the historical moment in which God sent His Son into the world and His Kingdom is rendered more 'close' than ever."

Yet, he added, salvation is not an automatic process. "Salvation is a gift of love, and as such, is freely given and calls for a freely given response: it calls for conversion."

The Pope said conversion implies a change of mentality, in which we refuse to follow the way of the world. "Sin brought into the world a mentality that tends toward the affirmation of oneself against others and against God," he said, "and for this purpose it does not hesitate to use deceit and violence."

After the Angelus, Pope Francis prayed for a homeless Nigerian man who died near the Vatican. The Pope said: "On 20 January, just a few metres from St Peter's Square, a Nigerian homeless man named Edwin was found dead from the cold. His plight is similar to that of many other homeless people who have died recently in Rome under the same dramatic circumstances."

The Pope then invited everyone to pray for Edwin, and paused for a few seconds in prayer.

He said 46-year-old Edwin was ignored by all. "He was abandoned, by us as well," said Pope Francis. "Let us pray for him."

The Pope then recalled a story from the papacy of St Gregory the Great. When he witnessed the death of a beggar in the cold, the 6th century Pope ordered that all Masses be suspended for a whole day, "because it was as Good Friday."

Pope Francis was due to celebrate Mass for the Word of God in St Peter's Basilica on Sunday, but did not attend because he was suffering from a bout of sciatica. His address to the Diplomatic Corp scheduled to take place on Monday has been postponed and he will also miss Vespers for the end of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity planned for Monday, because of the painful condition.

Watch the 24 January Angelus on Vatican Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NW2coK1VF4